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"Good heavens, I didn't expect a primary school math problem to unearth three of You Who Slipped Through Nine Years of Compulsory Education…"
Kitahara Makoto was utterly dumbfounded.
Forty thousand multiplied by eighty thousand equals three hundred and twenty thousand?
Even primary school students wouldn't get that wrong!
"Kitahara-kun, we all answered correctly, right?"
Kita Ikuyo looked up with her small face, her eyes full of anticipation.
No matter how much you anticipate, it's useless. A math problem is either right or wrong; there's no room for discretionary points!
"Kita-san answered very well…" Kitahara Makoto said earnestly, "I'm giving her zero points."
"Eh eh eh?" Kita Ikuyo pouted her pink cheeks upon hearing this. "I answered so well, why are you still giving me zero points?"
Kitahara Makoto was expressionless: "Because you answered incorrectly."
"How is that possible!" Kita Ikuyo was clearly still unconvinced. "Forty thousand times eighty thousand is clearly… is clearly…"
Gotō Hitori stammered softly beside her:
"Um… it doesn't seem to be three hundred twenty thousand? It feels like a lot of zeros need to be added at the end…"
Kita Ikuyo blinked, finally realizing, and her eyes were filled with resentment: "Kitahara Makoto is so mean! He should have just asked 'four times eight'… My, my mouth isn't obeying me!"
Kitahara Makoto's heart stirred, and he immediately perked up, looking at Kita.
This was the first time he had used the You Who Slipped Through Nine Years of Compulsory Education ability, and he truly didn't know what the so-called 'punishment' would be. Now was a good time to find out.
"I, I need to tell the secret I've been carefully hiding all day—"
Kita Ikuyo sat up straight, her pink lips opening and closing, beginning to uncontrollably blurt out a secret: "Today we had gym class, and to make my chest look bigger, I added padding, and it was two layers!"
Kitahara Makoto: "…"
Gotō Hitori: "…"
Good heavens, no wonder it was a secret she had carefully hidden all day. If it were exposed, she would definitely die of embarrassment!
The punishment ended.
Kita Ikuyo finally regained control of her head and quickly shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes: "I'm not, I didn't! Everything I just said was a lie, I only padded one layer… Wahhhhh…"
Her face was so red it looked like it was about to bleed. What was true and what was false was clear at a glance!
But to actually add two layers of padding… how flat are you?
Next, it was the turn of the second female evil spirit to answer.
This evil spirit didn't reveal any secrets. Instead, she let out a muffled groan, and wisps of black mist suddenly emanated from her body, making her body somewhat transparent.
Finally, it was Bocchi-chan.
Kitahara Makoto looked at Little Miss Anxiety, curious to see what punishment would appear. Their eyes met, and Gotō Hitori suddenly opened her pink lips:
"Awooo~"
A hungry dragon's roar escaped her lips.
Kitahara Makoto: "…"
"Eh eh eh, Bocchi-chan, what are you doing?" Kita Ikuyo was startled and quickly tilted her head to look over.
"I, I don't know…"
Gotō Hitori frantically covered her mouth with her hands, her small face rapidly turning red at a visible speed, but unfortunately, it didn't have much effect.
Seconds later, Gotō Hitori involuntarily took her hands away, looked up at the sky, and let out another hungry dragon's roar.
This time the sound was even louder, clearly audible throughout the entire house:
"Awooo~ !"
Looking at Little Miss Anxiety, whose face was exploding red and whose expression was full of 'I want to hide with the slugs,' Kitahara Makoto quickly came to a realization.
Each 'student's' punishment was different and highly targeted, somewhat resembling 'teaching according to aptitude.'
For example, making Kita roar like a hungry dragon would have no punitive effect at all. As a social butterfly, Kita Ikuyo could even 'awoo awoo' in front of the entire class. But for the super shy and socially anxious Bocchi-chan, a hungry dragon's roar was clearly a public execution.
Kitahara Makoto's thoughts turned, and he quickly extended his second finger:
"Don't be nervous. You just need to answer three questions, and then you'll be free again… So, please listen to the question."
The three students quickly sat up straight, even the female evil spirit, listening attentively to the upcoming test question.
"This time I'll ask a simpler question…" Kitahara Makoto pondered for two seconds. "Where were Arabic numerals invented? A: Arabia, B: Ancient Greece, C: Ancient India."
"I definitely won't answer this one wrong again." Kita Ikuyo's eyes lit up, and she quickly raised her right hand. "They're called Arabic numerals, so they must have originated in Arabia… So I choose A!"
Kitahara Makoto was expressionless, turning to look at the female evil spirit: "This student, what's your answer?"
The female evil spirit hesitated for two seconds. Clearly, she too was a standard You Who Slipped Through Nine Years of Compulsory Education before, her tone hesitant: "…I also choose A."
Kitahara Makoto finally looked at Little Miss Anxiety: "Bocchi-chan, think carefully before answering."
"Um, that…" Gotō Hitori stammered softly, "I remember Futari saying that Arabic numerals seem to have been invented in Ancient India and then spread by Arabs, which is why they're called Arabic numerals?"
"Eh eh eh?" Kita Ikuyo's eyes widened, and she quickly said, "Kitahara Makoto, I want to change my answer!"
Kitahara Makoto: "Sorry, no changes allowed after submitting the answer."
…
After the second round of questions ended, it was time for punishment again.
Kita Ikuyo's small face was flushed. She tremblingly lifted her school uniform, then reached her hand inside her clothes, and shortly after, pulled out two sponge pads, her eyes welling up with tears of shame and despair:
"I, I just lied… I actually did pad two layers… Wahh…"
She couldn't face anyone, she would never be able to face anyone again!
The female evil spirit also answered the question incorrectly. Without a physical body, she naturally had no sense of shame or similar emotions, so her body trembled and wisps of black mist emanated from her again.
Finally, it was Bocchi-chan.
As the only student who answered correctly, Gotō Hitori blinked, her expression a little blank:
"Um… a strange voice just sounded in my mind, saying that my learning efficiency has improved and can last for an hour."
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow slightly: "There's a reward for answering correctly?"
That's understandable. There must be both rewards and punishments; that's the way of a teacher.
"Third round of questions, starting now." Kitahara Makoto extended three fingers and asked another simple question from the nine-year compulsory education: "Is Pluto still one of the nine planets?"
Kita Ikuyo had learned her lesson. This time, she finally didn't raise her hand to answer first.
Miss Evil Spirit lowered her head, also remaining silent.
Finally, Gotō Hitori raised her small hand, her tone hesitant: "I heard Futari say… Pluto seems to have been kicked out of the nine planets, so it's not?"
"What about Kita-san?" Kitahara Makoto looked at the red-haired girl with teary eyes.
"I believe Bocchi-chan." Kita Ikuyo sniffled, her small face flushed as she looked over, "I also choose 'no'."
Miss Evil Spirit finally spoke softly, choosing to copy: "No…"
"Very good." Kitahara Makoto smiled. "Congratulations, you all answered correctly."
"F-finally answered correctly!"
Kita Ikuyo was almost overjoyed.
Answering incorrectly would lead to shameful execution. If she were executed again, she truly wouldn't be able to face anyone!
"It's over…"
Gotō Hitori covered her chest and let out a long sigh of relief. Even Miss Evil Spirit's face showed a hint of relaxation.
The next second.
Kitahara Makoto, who had just been smiling, suddenly erupted, like lightning, and punched out.
Pfft!
Miss Evil Spirit instantly exploded.
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